pidgeon pea trees

13 years ago

Someone gave me a few pidgeon peas at Trini's swap awhile back. I was told they would produce in the summer. Planted them last spring (march 2010.)

Well they were happy and healthy and didn't produce. But they weren't in the way so I left them there.

Now they produce. A lot. Started a few months ago. And they've become small trees. Seriously! I planted them in tomato cages and they ignored them. One completely uprooted its cage, which now stands off the ground sideways around it. Funny! And they truly are tree-shaped, with a central trunk that branches a few feet off the ground. They're about five-feet high.

I'm not sure how long they will continue to produce, but I'm beginning to wonder if they are biennials or maybe even perennials. They survived last summer so I'm thinking about leaving them there to see if they a) produce through this summer or b) survive this summer and produce again next winter/spring.

And they produce these gorgeous wine red peas that, when cooked turn kind of gray. But when cooked with rice, they turn the rice lavender. Okay, that's a little odd, though I suspect my three-year-old niece will love them. I added a healthy dose of tumeric to mitigate the color. And they're tasty!

They're a bit hard to shell because the pods are kind of sticky, with little hairs. I suspect that's why they've survived in my no-pesticide yard. They clearly have some built-in defenses.

Anyone remember if you're the donator of these interesting pea trees that I now have in my yard? If so, thanks!!

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Comments (9)

loufloralcityz9
13 years ago
F Y I
Pidgeon Pea Also know as: Congo pea, Guandu, No-eye pea, Red gram, Arhur, Grandul, Dhal, Toor, Grinds pea, Puerto Rico pea, Urhur, Pigeon Pea, Feijao Guandu, Adhaki, Chieh Tu Tzu, Chieh Tu, Gandul, Guaduli, Guandul, Pois Cajan, Pois Congo, Pois D'Angolie, Shan Tou Ken, Kachang gude, Kachang kayu (tree bean), Katjang bali, frijol de palo.

Scientific Name: Cajanus cajan. Common name: 'Pigeon Pea'. The pigeon pea is a well known perennial leguminous shrub with yellow and red flowers. It can grow into a small tree. It's history goes back at least 3000 years with it's origin most likely being Asia. From there it traveled to Africa and then to the American continent by means of the slave trade. Today pigeon peas are widely cultivated in all tropical and semi-tropical regions of world and is valuable as a food crop (dried peas, flour, or green vegetable peas) and a forage/cover crop Easy to grow from seeds and is easily cared in the garden or landscape. Pigeon peas contain more minerals, up to 5 times the vitamins A and C of green peas and an excellent source of protein and calcium. The young green pods can be eaten as vegetables. Mature pigeon peas can be dried and used as a pulse, made into flour, sprouted or boiled and eaten with rice or in soups or curries. As a legume, its cultivation enriches the soil through symbiotic nitrogen fixation. Pigeon peas are often inter-cropped or used in rotation with other crops as they add nutrients to the soil. It is an excellent feed for cattle, pigs and poultry. It can also be utilized as an ongoing source of mulch and can be cut several times in a season.

Lou
pnbrown
13 years ago
Lucky you are far enough south that they don't get frost-killed. I tried them in lake county and they were killed just as really starting to bloom. They are eleven months to production so just quite don't do it in most of florida.
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sumala
13 years ago
Pigeon pea trees are a very interesting plant. For me they will live 5 or 6 years if cold doesn't kill them and they easily get to be 12-15 foot tall. They will produce pods which will fill out with seeds and if you don't pick them, they will just go ahead and produce more pods which will fill out with seeds and...well you get the picture. The pods will eventually dry out but depending on certain conditions they will just hang there. They will hang there waiting patiently for you to pick them or waiting for the weather conditions to get just right. If weather conditions get just right for them, they will split open as if they were spring loaded and fling their seeds far and wide. And then you get lotsa baby pea trees.

I have not actively cultivated pigeon peas for several years but I have volunteers growing all around my neighborhood. They may have escaped from my yard. Most of my neighbors have no idea what they are or that they are edible.
pnbrown
13 years ago
Sumala, are you 9a or b?
whgille
13 years ago
Susannah,

About a year ago, I send you some some pigeon peas that I had from Leu Gardens sale. Since I never went to Trini's swap, I did not think you planted mine but nobody has replied, so I guess maybe those are the pigeon peas that you planted?

Silvia
sumala
13 years ago
pnbrown, I am no longer sure of my zone. For several years I thought I was a borderline 10 but the last two winters seem to have slammed me back to a zone 8.

I live in Port St. Lucie if that answers your question.
flyingfish2
13 years ago
Sumala, yep me too. My mango's just west of PSL produced tremendous crops for a number of years. The last 2 years, they keep getting frozen back. Last year, it froze back a pigeon pea that had just produced it first crop. Got to move closer to some water, but Tom will tell you that has some problems also.

bernie
pnbrown
13 years ago
Where is the perfect climate without becoming an ex-patriot? Hawaii?
natives_and_veggies
Original Author
13 years ago
Silvia,
Must be yours. They are so cool! Thank you!!! Do they make trees up where you are? I'm afraid one or two are going to have to come out, just because I can't really do 12-foot trees in that spot.
And thanks Lou and Flora for the info. I'm liking this plant.
S

pidgeon pea trees

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